Is Israel’s Smotrich fulfilling his dream of annexing the West Bank?

A quiet takeover of occupied West Bank has been cooking for 18 months. Are the far right going to get their way?

About a month ago, a quiet transfer happened.

The Israeli army’s Civil Administration handed more control over the occupied West Bank to the Settlements Administration, led by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who lives in an illegal settlement himself.

Now Smotrich and his Settlements Administration control more things, like building regulations and the management of farmland, parks and forests.

Since he entered government, Smotrich has pushed openly for more Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank – illegal under international law – as steps towards annexation.

So what does this all mean?